Morning Star leaves readers in the dark over Skripal poisoning

A report about the collapse of Toys R Us received higher billing than Theresa May’s speech on sanctionsKATHY WILLENS/AP

As Britain’s only revolutionary socialist newspaper, it seldom shies from forthright comment on the news.

The poisoning of Sergei Skripal, however, has provoked an uncharacteristic reaction from the Morning Star: editorial restraint.

The hard-left newspaper, which counts senior members of Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet among its contributors, found no room to cover the case on its front page this week.

Most newspapers featured Theresa May’s statement to the Commons prominently yesterday, but the Morning Star gave top billing to a dispute between the TSSA rail union and Great Western Railways, alongside commemorations on the fourth anniversary of Tony Benn’s death.

The prime minister’s sanctions on Russia were covered in 297 words and received lower billing than a report on the collapse of Toys R Us.

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